Smoke-Free Week has bars trading in cigarettes for clean air

Smoke-Free Week in New Orleans to promote the benefits of smoke-free environments. Organizers want to highlight the problems with secondhand smoke exposure, particularly for those who work in bars around the city.

You can learn all about the initiative at a town hall meeting happening Wednesday at the Carrollton station from 3:30-5 p.m. It's hosted by City Councilwoman Latoya Cantrell.

All week long dozens of Uptown bars have been trading in the ashtrays and the cigarette buts for clean air.

Over 100 bars in New Orleans have voluntarily chosen to go 100 percent smoke-free. The Healthier Air For All campaign is aimed at getting even more bars to go smoke-free and join the movement for cleaner, healthier, smoke-free air.

The week feature several special events including smoke-free nights and happy hours at different bars around the city, and a party to close out the week. An variety of Uptown bars including Barrel Proof, The Maple Leaf and Tracey's are hosting events.

Thursday Vine and Dine is hosting "Smoke'n Hot" Happy Hour from 4-6 p.m. Friday, the finale party will be at The Maple Leaf, doors open at 7 p.m.

For a list of some of the other businesses and bars participating in smoke-free week and the events planned visitHealthierairforall.org.

Smoke-Free Week in New Orleans to promote the benefits of smoke-free environments. Organizers want to highlight the problems with secondhand smoke exposure, particularly for those who work in bars around the city.

WEEK IN NEW ORLEANS TO PROMOTE THE BENEFITS OF SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENTS. ORGANIZERS WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE PROBLEMS ABOUT SECONDHAND SMOKE EXPOSURE --ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO WORK AT BARS AROUND THE CITY. CASEY FERRAND IS LIVE THIS MORNING FROM THE RIVERBEND ON CARROLLTON TO TELL US MORE. CASEY -- HOW CAN PEOPLE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EVENTS SURROUNDING SMOKE-FREE WEEK TODAY? YOU CAN LEARN ALL ABOUT THE INITIATIVE AT A TOWN HALL MEETING HAPPENING AT THE CARROLLTON STATION THIS AFTERNOON. ALL WEEK LONG DOZENS OF UPTOWN BARS HAVE BEEN TRADING IN THE ASHTRAYS AND THE CIGARETTE BUTS... FOR CLEAN AIR. "SMOKE-FREE WEEK" CONTINUES THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. CITY COUNCILWOMAN LATOYA CANTRELL IS HOSTODAY'S TOWN-HALL MEETING. OVER 100 BARS IN NEW ORLEANS HAVE ALREADY VOLUNTARILY CHOSEN TO GO 100 PERCENT SMOKE- FREE. THE HEALTHIER AIR FOR ALL CAMPAIGN IS AIMED AT GETTING EVEN MORE BARS TO GO SMOKE-FREE AND "JOIN THE MOVEMENT" FOR CLEANER, HEALTHIER, SMOKE-FREE AIR IN NEW ORLEANS. THE WEEK FEATURE SEVERAL SPECIAL EVENTS ... INCLUDING SMOKE-FREE NIGHTS AND HAPPY HOURS AT DIFFERENT BARS AROUND THE CITY, AND A PARTY TO CLOSE OUT THE WEEK. A VARIETY OF UPTOWN BARS INCLUDING BARREL PROOF, THE MAPLE LEAF AND TRACEY'S ARE HOSTING EVENTS. AGAIN, TODAY IS THE TOWN HALL MEETING AT CARROLLTON STATION 3:30 P.M. - 5 P.M. VINE AND DINE IS HOSTING "SMOKE'N HOT" HAPPY HOUR FROM 4PM-6PM ON THURSDAY. AND FRIDAY, THE FINALE PARTY WILL BE AT THE MAPLE LEAF, DOORS OPEN AT 7 P.M. FOR A LIST OF SOME OF THE OTHER BUSINESSES AND BARS PARTICIPATING IN SMOKE-FREE WEEK GO TO OUR WEBSITE WDSU.COM ON YOUR SIDE CASEY FERRAND WDSU NEWS. STUDIES SHOW PEOPLE WHO WORK IN BARS AND GAMING FACILITIES BREATHE ENOUGH SECONDHAND SMOKE EVERYDAY TO HAVE THE SAME HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT A PACK-A-DAY- SMOKER HAS.